Growing tensions between Sinn Féin and the DUP over the proposed
appointment of a chief Victims’ Commissioner has caused the passage of
a Bill to be unexpectedly postponed.

The penultimate stage of the Victims and Survivors Bill, which was
supposed to pass at an accelerated speed by the Assembly was abandoned
when neither DUP First Minister Ian Paisley nor Deputy First Minister
Martin McGuinness was present. No reason was given for the
postponement.

A major delay over the victims’ issue had appeared to be resolved
recently when it was decided in December to appoint a panel of four
commissioners to work on behalf of victims, rather than the one
originally envisaged. The original appointment to the post -- of an
RUC police widow -- had to be thrown out when a court ruled the
appointment was made by the British government as an overt political
favour to the DUP.

A proposal from the moderate unionist Alliance Party to elevate one of
the recently appointed commissioners to the position of chief
commissioner has caused new friction over the appointment.

The DUP, SDLP and Ulster Unionists are thought to back the amendment,
but Sinn Féin believes it would create a hierarchy within the
commission.

Sinn Féin spokesman for victims’ issues Francie Molloy accused the DUP
of backtracking on the terms of the original agreement between the
First Minister and Deputy First Minister in December.

“Sinn Féin reached an agreement with the DUP before Christmas on the
way to proceed on the issue of a Victims’ Commission,” he said. “It
meant four commissioners of equal status, reaching decisions through
consensus. There can be no hierarchy of commissioners, just as there
can be no hierarchy of victims.

“That was the agreement - that was what Ian Paisley publicly committed
his party to doing. That is what the legislation needs to deliver.
Amendments which subvert that agreement are not acceptable.” However,
the DUP’s Sammy Wilson said it was only proper that amendments should
be considered.

“What we are doing is to ensure first of all we have a commission which
is independent and where there can be a clear spokesperson for that
commission, not four different ones, so victims know there is some
clarity,” he said.